Your Tip of the Week

I planted garlic in my garden at the end of September for harvesting in the spring. Green shoots are already poking through the ground!!! We love garlic in just about everything…well, not in our smoothies, or in other drinks, but most cooked dishes have garlic in them, for sure. Did you know there are many different types of garlic? In my photo you see Russian Red (one of the kinds I planted) and German White, both of which are classified as “hard neck” garlic. Maybe the Russian Red could be called a Red Neck??? Sorry…just my attempt at humor!

I have a couple of garlic tips for you today. Did you know that garlic keeps better, stays fresher, and is more nutritious if you keep it in your refrigerator? I KNOW, right? We were always told to keep it on the counter! But recent scientific studies show that in the fridge is best. Just make sure you don’t place it in the crisper drawer, where the humidity is too high. I place mine in my garlic jar, and put the jar on a shelf in the fridge.

Also, when you use garlic, it is best to dice, chop, slice, or press the garlic, and then LEAVE IT TO RESTfor 10 minutes before adding it to the dish you are making. This creates better nutritional value, since this allows the greatest amount of allicin to develop. As well, it ensures the allicin is not destroyed by heat when you allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Cool!

And lastly, if you find a sale on garlic, buy a LOT of it because you can skin it, chop it and store it in your freezer! When we were at my daughter’s home in Spain, she had some frozen garlic which came in a plastic bag about the size of a sandwich baggie. The garlic was in small chunks that she was able to add to any dish she was cooking, and it was fresh tasting. You wouldn’t have guessed it had been frozen.

Garlic Fact: Recent scientific studies have found that 3 cloves of garlic contain the same bacterial activity as a standard dose of penicillin.